Cancellation of Red Pill film is a tough choice for Calgary’s Plaza Theatre

Online controversy erupted after Plaza cancelled, then reinstated the film

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Courtesy Jaye Bird Productions

The Red Pill screening has caused quite the uproar in Calgary, with the Plaza Theatre's screening being cancelled - and reinstated - all in the span of a day.

By:Autumn FoxFor Metro Published on

Calgary’s on-again-off-again relationship with The Red Pill continues as the Plaza Theatre opted to cancel its screening of the controversial film – and then reversed the decision a day later.

A statement issued on the Plaza Theatre’s Facebook page was posted on Sunday, Apr. 2, simply stating that the screening was being cancelled and they would be returning to their usual programming on the evening of Tuesday, April 4.

Logan Cameron, manager at the theatre, said he was not involved with the decision, but said the theatre had received threats of boycott should they run the film.

“I don’t think we really knew the breadth of people’s emotions around the film.”

Supporters of the film claimed the Plaza was promoting censorship, and posted one-star reviews of the theatre.

Those against praised the Plaza, stating the film promoted misogyny and violence towards women – and posted five-star reviews of the theatre.

Monique Dietvorst of the Canadian Association for Equality said the ticketing site had been victim of an April Fools’ joke when users with names like “Neckbeard Snowflake” reserved the maximum number of tickets – presumably in an effort to prevent anyone from attending the screening at all.

Andrea Llewellyn had written the Plaza to request they pull the film from their line-up.

Llewellyn admitted she hadn’t seen the film, but said it “is such a toxic film that it’s just really inappropriate to be providing a platform for it at all.”

By Monday afternoon, Fathers Rights Alberta announced the Plaza would be hosting the screening as scheduled.

The Plaza has not confirmed this, but has removed the original cancellation post from Facebook.

Cameron had not yet been made aware of the reverse decision, but said, “All you have to do is walk into the washrooms and see that the Plaza Theatre has throughout the years shown many, many controversial films.”